After theft, Community College poised to go back to voters
St. Louis Community College's Wildwood campus
The last tax-increase campaign pushed by St. Louis Community College ended poorly for everyone involved.
The April 2006 ballot question, aimed at making improvements at several campuses, failed at the polls. The political consultant hired by the Community College, Steven Wyatt Earp, was convicted of theft for using campaign money to buy cars and a $10,000 engagement ring.
Earp’s wife later committed suicide while he was in jail.
With the debacle three years in the rear view mirror, the college appears poised to once again go back to voters.
Earlier this month, the Missouri Ethics Commission received paperwork creating the political committee “Community College Forward.” The goal of the committee, according to organizing documents, is “ballot measures in support of St. Louis Community College.”
Paul Wentzien, an executive at the Delmar Gardens assisted living centers, is the treasurer.
The paperwork does not list a targeted election date, but, if it’s anytime soon, it will be a tough sell. Getting a tax increase in this economy is tough — just ask the Metro transit agency.
But the real challenge could be going back to donors who, last time around, had their money pilfered by a crooked campaign chief.
I understand Steve Wyatt Earp is out of jail now, and he has the experience and knowledge of running a campaign like this…why not contact him…think he is rested and available.
Why not challege Pujols to a home run derby. You are going to have a better chance winning that than passing a tax hike in a deep recession. Tighten your belts
first I’ve heard of his wife having committed suicide; how sad is that; there should be some place to go when life out of control so dont hurt self or others; I’m sure she had much to live for; how sad to give up on self and life; we need to do better; always an individual thing, as I may have written about at some point, but community bears some moral responsibility for helping to; and advice of get some professional help? you know as someone who’s flirted with that line from time to time, sometimes that’s just not good enough. just saying
and our hearts should go out to Mr. Earp, too; a sadness he will always have to bear; I hope he can forgive himself; I know god would and does; his catharsis should be by giving back to community somehow, or other way he searches for his peace; we should wish him well on that poignant journey.
I’m voting no since Wentzien is part of it.
Delmar Gardens wants to build a six story office building in Creve Coeur next to a kids baseball field, cemetary and residential neightborhood. What Delmar Gardens wants to do is displace about 50 to 100 people who live in the nursing home already on the site. He’s part of the “hell with you” crowd, just give us what we want.
When you select people who work for companies like that, it’s part of a culture. And this culture can just stay the hell out of my pocketbook.
I have adopted the “Just Say No” slogan that they use for drugs, when it comes to taxes. Better yet, “HELL NO” I will never ever vote for a tax increase.
Ummm, they could start by having administrators take a pay cut. With the Chancellor making $232,000 and 17 others making over $100,000, it seems like they’re rolling in dough. Plus these are the same administrators who hired Mr. Earp. Who paid the price on that bungle?